The present invention relates to an electric connecting structure including L-shaped terminals for connecting electric components, and a resin structure, and more particularly, to the electric connecting structure which is assembled to a circuit board in such a manner that a mounting direction of the electric components is substantially parallel to the circuit board, and on which the electric components are mounted in a plurality of stages stacked in a substantially vertical direction.
As an electric apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, there has been known an electric junction box, for example. The electric junction box has been known as a name generally calling a relay box, a fuse box, or a junction block, an electronic control unit box, etc.
In an electric junction box which is disclosed in JP-A-2006-333583, a plurality of loads are connected to a downstream side by way of a wire harness. The electric junction box has a function and a structure for distributing electric power or the like to a plurality of the loads. The electric junction box described in JP-A-2006-333583 will be described below.
In FIG. 11, reference numeral 101 represents an electric junction box. In this drawing, the electric junction box 101 is shown in a state where a cover member is omitted. The electric junction box 101 includes a circuit board 102, electronic components 102, connectors 104, 105 (connector blocks), a fuse block 106, an ECU connecting connector 107, and other constituent members.
The electronic components 103 are mounted on the circuit board 102. Moreover, the connectors 104, 105, the fuse block 106 and the ECU connecting connector 107 are also assembled to the circuit board 102. The electronic components 103, the connectors 104, 105, the fuse block 106 and the ECU connecting connector 107 are electrically connected to predetermined positions of a circuit pattern which is formed on the circuit board 102. The electronic components 103 are a plurality of switching transistors 108, an integrated circuit 109, and so on, which are electrically connected by way of connecting portions of their respective terminals.
The connector 104 includes a connector housing 110, and a plurality of L-shaped terminals 111. The connector housing 110, which is a resin component, has a housing body 112 adapted to be engaged with a mating connector, which is not shown, and a housing securing part to be screw-fitted to the circuit board 102. The L-shaped terminals 111 are arranged in such a manner that respective one ends thereof can be electrically connected to the mating connector, which is not shown, in a state surrounded by the housing body 112. The other ends of the L-shaped terminals 111 are passed through holes in the circuit board 102, and soldered to a predetermined circuit pattern.
The connector 105 is constructed in the same manner as the connector 104. Specifically, the connector 105 includes a connector housing 113, and a plurality of L-shaped terminals 114. The connector housing 113, which is a resin component, has a housing body 115 adapted to be engaged with a mating connector, which is not shown, and a housing securing part to be screw-fitted to the circuit board 102. The L-shaped terminals 114 are arranged in such a manner that respective one ends thereof can be electrically connected to the mating connector, which is not shown, in a state surrounded by the housing body 113. The other ends of the L-shaped terminals 114 are passed through holes in the circuit board 102, and soldered to a predetermined circuit pattern.
In FIGS. 11 and 12, the fuse block 106, which is a region where fuses of a blade type are mounted, includes a fuse cover 116, a terminal holder 117, and a group 118 of layered terminals. The fuse cover 116 and the terminal holder 117 are structures formed of resin and have insulating performance. Moreover, the group 118 of the layered terminals includes terminal groups 119 to 122 which are arranged in a state of a plurality of layers, and has electrical conductivity.
The fuse cover 116 has fuse mounting parts 123, 124, a housing 125, a connector housing 126, and a locking arm 127. The fuse mounting part 123 is arranged above the fuse mounting part 124. The housing 125 and the connector housing 126 are provided at the left side of the fuse mounting part 123. Moreover, the locking arm 127 is formed at the right side of the fuse mounting parts 123, 124.
The fuse mounting parts 123, 124 respectively have a plurality of fuse cavities 128. A plurality of the fuse cavities 128 are formed so as to be arranged in a lateral direction. The fuses are inserted into the fuse cavities 128 from a front side to a rear side thereof. The fuse mounting parts 123, 124 are arranged above and below, and at the same time, arranged in such a manner that fuse mounting planes 129 and 130 are on the same plane.
The housing 125 is formed as a region where a fusible link is to be mounted. Moreover, the connector housing 126 is formed as a connecting part of a main power supply and a power supply for an alternator.
The terminal holder 117 is formed for the purpose of holding the terminal groups 119 to 122 which compose the group 118 of the layered terminals. A locking projection 131 to be engaged with the locking arm 127 of the fuse cover 116 is formed on a side face of the terminal holder 117.
As described above, the group 118 of the layered terminals includes a plurality of the terminal groups 119 to 122. Describing them from the below to the above, the terminal group 119 is arranged in a first layer, the terminal group 120 is arranged in a second layer, the terminal group 121 is arranged in a third layer, and the terminal group 122 is arranged in a fourth layer.
The terminal group 119 in the first layer has a plurality of L-shaped terminals 132, and is formed by arranging these L-shaped terminals 132 in the lateral direction. In addition, the terminal group 119 has a power supply input terminal 133. A fork-shaped terminal portion 134 is formed at one end of each of the L-shaped terminals 132. Moreover, a bent portion 135 is formed in an intermediate area. A horizontal plate portion 136 in a shape of a plate substantially horizontal to the circuit board 2 is formed between the fork-shaped terminal portion 134 and the bent portion 135. Further, a vertical plate portion 137 in a shape of a plate substantially vertical to the circuit board 2 is formed at the other end. A pin-shaped board connecting portion 138 is formed continuously from this vertical plate portion 137.
The fork-shaped terminal portion 134 is contained and held in the fuse cavity 128 of the fuse mounting part 124 at a lower side. The vertical plate portion 137 is contained and held in the terminal holder 117. The power supply input terminal 133 is contained and held in the connector housing 126.
The terminal group 120 in the second layer has a plurality of L-shaped terminals 139, and is formed by arranging these L-shaped terminals 139 in the lateral direction. In addition, the terminal group 120 has a power supply input terminal 140. A fork-shaped terminal portion 141 is formed at one end of each of the L-shaped terminals 139. Moreover, a bent portion 142 is formed in an intermediate area. A horizontal plate portion 143 in a shape of a plate substantially horizontal to the circuit board 2 is formed between the fork-shaped terminal portion 141 and the bent portion 142. Further, a vertical plate portion 144 in a shape of a plate substantially vertical to the circuit board 2 is formed at the other end. A pin-shaped board connecting portion 145 is formed continuously from this vertical plate portion 144.
The fork-shaped terminal portion 141 is contained and held in the fuse cavity 128 of the fuse mounting part 124 at the lower side. The vertical plate portion 144 is contained and held in the terminal holder 117. The power supply input terminal 140 is contained and held in the connector housing 126.
The terminal group 121 in the third layer has a plurality of L-shaped terminals 146, and is formed by arranging these L-shaped terminals 146 in the lateral direction. In addition, the terminal group 121 has a terminal 147 for a fusible link. A fork-shaped terminal portion 148 is formed at one end of each of the L-shaped terminals 146. Moreover, a bent portion 149 is formed in an intermediate area. A horizontal plate portion 150 in a shape of a plate substantially horizontal to the circuit board 2 is formed between the fork-shaped terminal portion 148 and the bent portion 149. Further, a vertical plate portion 151 in a shape of a plate substantially vertical to the circuit board 2 is formed at the other end. A pin-shaped board connecting portion 152 is formed continuously from this vertical plate portion 151.
The fork-shaped terminal portion 148 is contained and held in the fuse cavity 128 of the fuse mounting part 123 at an upper side. The vertical plate portion 151 is contained and held in the terminal holder 117. The terminal 147 for the fusible link is contained and held in the connector housing 125.
The terminal group 122 in the fourth layer has a plurality of L-shaped terminals 153, and is formed by arranging these L-shaped terminals 153 in the lateral direction. In addition, the terminal group 122 has a terminal 154 for the fusible link. A fork-shaped terminal portion 155 is formed at one end of each of the L-shaped terminals 153. Moreover, a bent portion 156 is formed in an intermediate area. A horizontal plate portion 157 in a shape of a plate substantially horizontal to the circuit board 2 is formed between the fork-shaped terminal portion 155 and the bent portion 156. Further, a vertical plate portion 158 in a shape of a plate substantially vertical to the circuit board 2 is formed at the other end. A pin-shaped board connecting portion 159 is formed continuously from this vertical plate portion 158.
The fork-shaped terminal portion 155 is contained and held in the fuse cavity 128 of the fuse mounting part 123 at the upper side. The vertical plate portion 158 is contained and held in the terminal holder 117. The terminal 154 for the fusible link is contained and held in the connector housing 125.
By the way, in the above described related art, the fuse mounting parts 123, 124 are arranged above and below in two stages. Therefore, in the group 118 of the layered terminals, comparing lengths of the horizontal plate portion 136 and the horizontal plate portion 143 in the first and second layers with lengths of the horizontal plate portion 150 and the horizontal plate portion 157 in the third and fourth layers, the horizontal plate portions at the upper side (upper stage) are longer than those at the lower side. For this reason, there is such a problem that cost for terminal material is increased.
In addition, there is such a problem that in case where the horizontal plate portions become longer as described above, an amount of heat generation in the terminals is increased. In case where terminal material of high grade is used for the purpose of depressing the amount of heat generation, there is also such a problem that the cost for the terminal material is increased.